Bog plants!

Hello again,

I have just returned from an excellent weekend in Yorkshire.

A group of friends stayed in the delightful Hebden Bridge and spent a day walking before returning to try out the local hostelries. It made for interesting walking along the rivers that had the textile mills from the 19th Century. Apparently, the fast flowing rivers were not used to generate power but in the processing of the wool; coal was in fact burned for power.

I then met up with my family to visit friends in Barnsley which was fab - lovely people, great hospitality. My thoughts were that a) we don't visit often enough and b) quality of life is a topic that I need to take more seriously.

Whilst out, I took this shot of an unusual planting container. I alone was privy to the sight and happy to have flushed out the opportunity. I panned around and was bowled over to see the strawberry plants in the porcelain. Without delay I managed to get the photo in the can. Taking my rightful place on the throne I became the king of the pun.

Enough nonsense, until next time...

Recycling or re-houseing or re-sitting?

Hello again,

I am currently in the process of re-fitting my kitchen, you know the whole thing; sub floor, floor, cabinets, tiling etc.

Part of the process included buying and installing a 1000mm wide cooker hood which arrived in a huge box. Having installed it we were left with surprisingly little packaging; a big box and some polystyrene.

What do you do with this sort of packaging? Firstly, the big cardboard box has been turned into an indoor playhouse for my daughters with opening doors, windows and a chimney and after some thought, I adapted the polystyrene into the world's lightest chair. Eventually the cardboard will end up on my compost heap but I don't know what I can do with the polystyrene - any suggestions would be welcome.

Like I said, it is recycling at its best or should I say re-housing & re-sitting

Until next time...

Brace yourselves!!

Hello again,

Another useless/useful fact for you.

I didn't know until today that vertigo is not the fear of heights, the fear of heights is actually, acrophobia.

Acrophobia is an irrational fear of heights whereas vertigo actually describes the spinning sensation when you are not actually spinning. That said, vertigo can be brought on by heights but can also be brought on by many other, not height related, triggers.

Either way, this picture tests your metal.

Until next time...

Plane crazy

Hello again,

I took this shot out of the window of a car (from the passenger seat) whilst travelling down the A4, beside Heathrow, at 50mph.

Heathrow is an extraordinary place. In 1946 it literally consisted of a surplus army tent in a field that constituted an air field. Now it caters for an extraordinary 68 million passengers and 1.3 million tonnes of cargo every year.

Mind boggling...

Until next time...

Pumkins and badgers

Hello again,

It's that time of year again! Yes, it's almost Halloween (which, incidentally, is also my birthday) so it must be Pumpkin time.

Last weekend, we ie. me plus daughters, Daisy (8) and Dolly (6), have carved five Pumpkins. The girls made two each and I made one (in the close up).

They are now gathered around Brian (my stuffed badger) on the doorstep of the house, supposedly warding off evil spirits that might wander past and try and gain access to the house.

Incidentally, the carving of vegetables at this time of year was originally intended to welcome friendly spirits and the souls of deceased loved ones.

I hoping to get the prize for most demonic Pumpkin in Suburbia if there ever was such a prize.

What do you think of my effort? Comments below please.

Until next time...

100% Guarantee??

Hello again,

Just thought I'd remind you that, earlier this year Waterwell introduced the most outrageous guarantee for an irrigation system. We recognised then that the economy was (and still is) very tight and most people have sensibly got a close eye on their budgets and their costs. We also realised that people need to be sure that when they make an investment in their property, they get value for money and the support of a well run company.

With that in mind, we wanted to make an offer that our potential clients couldn't refuse. Because we are certain of our ability to install an irrigation system better that any other company and because we are certain that they will be delighted with it and the effect that it has on their gardens, we were delighted to make the following offer...

The Waterwell, 100%, Money Back Guarantee

If, once an irrigation system has been installed, the client is unhappy with it in any way then they should call us within 30 days. Then, if we can cannot solve the issue we will come and remove it and refund 100% of the money - no quibbles, no hassles, no embarrassment - this is a genuine, total-confidence, no-risk guarantee.

Why did we do this? Well, because we have led the garden irrigation and lighting market for 20 years and we have over 600 clients with maintenance contracts, we are pretty certain that we are going to make our customers happy; their gardens will thrive, their new plants will get off to the best start possible and their lawns will be lush and green. We know how many of our customers are happy with our service and we want everyone else to be too.

Check us out at http://www.waterwell.co.uk/

Until next time...

Graffiti II

Hello again,

I know I have shown graffiti before but I think it is an art form that is under-rated; thought provoking, humourous, witty and with the potential to improve our environment.

This example is from the 6emeia project in Sao Paulo, Brazil by the artists Anderson Augusto and Leonardo Delafuente.

Until next time...

Hidden man

Hello again,

A quick homage to Lui Bolin and his amazing ability to blend in with his background. Apparently he only uses paint and patience, no trickery. If that's the case then hats off to him.

Until later...

PS. He's in front of the front tyre

Waterwell - What we do, blog #3

Hello again,

As promised, here is part three of my mini-series about what we do for our customers at Waterwell.

Today, I will tell you something about the garden irrigation service that we provide.

Firstly, we have been designing, installing and maintaining garden irrigation systems in London and the South of England for over twenty years. In that time we have developed a very keen sense of what is required, both by our customers and by the gardens we irrigate. We irrigate all gardens; from a single window box to a country estate and we can irrigate trees, lawns, borders and containers.

What are some of the benefits I hear you ask?

Your new plants, trees and lawns will establish quickly, minimising the loss of expensive plants.

You will achieve fantastic growth in the first season (30% better) giving you an instantly mature garden.

You will be able to sit back and enjoy your garden without being a slave to the watering.

You can go away on holiday, safe in the knowledge that your garden will be in better condition than when you left.

You can grow a greater range of plants if you have control over the watering, giving you a bigger choice of garden style.

It really is that good you know; installation (even in an existing garden) is quick and clean and the benefits are instant plus having an irrigation system (and a lush garden) adds value to your home.

Waterwell employs skilled and qualified engineers who are able to provide you with the best advice and a system to suit you, your garden and your budget. Then, if you choose to, you can sign up to the annual maintenance agreement which will keep your system in tip-top condition, year after year.

Until next time...

Another self portrait

Hello there,

I thought I'd treat you to another random self portrait. This one is entitled "Shadow"

Until later...

Happiness is...

... a day out with friends

Until next time

Waterwell - what we do, blog #2

Hello again,

As promised, here is the second part of my mini series about what we, at Waterwell do.

In my first blog, I outlined the business and identified the key people within it, before describing how we, as a customer focused business, are driven by the needs of our clients. In this blog, I shall tell you a little more about the Garden Lighting side of the business.

Garden lighting is a biiig subject that I could ramble on about for hours. At Waterwell we will take you through the whole process; from design to completion. But I won't bore you with the detail, I will tell you what it will do for you and your garden.

• Create an intimate atmosphere to dine outside
• Use the light to create a focal point as a view from the house throughout the year
• Use light to lengthen the evenings and extend the seasons
• Illuminate key plants, trees, water features or statues
• Use the lighting to celebrate seasonal festivities
• Use different levels of lighting for different occasions eg dining, partying
• Use colour change lighting to add drama and interest all year round
• Use timers and sensors to make the house "look" occupied when you are away

However, before you get giddy, you need to consider the costs of having a garden lighting system. Garden lighting is an investment; you don't want it to work for a few weeks or months - you want it to work indefinitely. Well to achieve that, you need to invest in good quality components and good quality light fittings eg. install the correct breakers to protect the system (and your family), proper armoured cable that is rugged and robust, waterproof junction boxes and transformers and the best light fittings you can afford. Don't be persuaded by companies that offer garden lighting at really low prices - it has to be done properly, using the right materials by a qualified electrician who can sign off the works (Waterwell employ only qualified electricians). Also, if you have invested sufficiently in the infrastructure, you can add to the system as and when you wish.

Then, if you have done all this you will have the lighting system you have dreamt about - get out there and enjoy it!

Until next time...

Abstract self portrait

Hello again

D you like my self-portrait?

Until next time...

The English Garden Magazine

Hello again,

If you would like to see our advert in this months edition of the English Garden Magazine on-line then click the link below or cut and paste the address...

waterwell advert

Then click the box at the top that says 1/116, then type in 77 and click go. That will take you straight to the advert.

The image on the advert is the gold medal winning garden that Garden Designer, Cleve West built at the Chelsea Flower Show. We lit the huge concrete ball using a sophisticated colour change LED lighting unit and it was a success.

I hope you like it.

Until next time...

Watch out, watch out, there are Stormtroopers about.

Hello again,

Life is stranger than fiction - well, science fiction anyway!

I recently had an encounter with these two characters one sunny evening in Truro and slightly menacing they were too. The problem was that I had no idea who, or what, they were. They were familiar enough but I didn't know from where so I took a photo anyway. Mind you, having their picture taken didn't seem to make them very happy - then again, how would you know.

It wasn't until I got back to the office and asked around that everyone told me they were Stormtroopers from Starwars.

Now, my sci-fi ignorance is out of the bag and I have had to go to the Jedi Church confessional and admit that I have not seen Starwars, Star Trek, ET, 2001, A space Oddysey, Blade Runner or even Planet of the Apes. It's true I am the biggest sci-fi numpty around. There, I've said it outloud and d'you know, I am feeling a bit better about myself. I'm still not going to watch a sci-fi film but hey, at least I don't have to pretend anymore.

Until next time... nanu nanu.

Waterwell - what we do - Blog #1

Hello again,

This is the first of a series of three short blogs that will outline for you, what we, at Waterwell, do for our clients. The reason I am doing this is that I realised that I have been writing my blog on and off for a year or so and have never made it clear what we do for a living.

So here goes...

On a general level, Waterwell designs, installs and maintains garden irrigation and lighting systems in private gardens throughout the South of England. We have unrivalled experience and have led this market for over 20 years. We are a customer driven and service related company that constantly focuses and re-focuses on the needs of our clients. Honestly, this isn't marketing drivel, it is really what we do.

To achieve this we employ the best people we can find and then invest in their training and self-improvement.

We employ a Business Manager who looks after the finances and the systems, we have two Estimators (Sarah Shepherd and Tom Barnwell) who visit gardens to discuss the needs and options available, we have an Operations Manager (Chris Newcombe-Bond) who ensures the systems are installed on schedule and without fuss, a Maintenance Manager (Darren Langley) who looks after all the systems we have installed in the past. We also have a qualified Electrician (obligatory for all outside electrical works), a Contracts Manager who manages the quality of the installations and a team of highly experiened Engineers who not only know how to install the systems but understand the needs and concerns of our customers.

As you can see, our clients can quickly identify who they need to speak to at any time and who is looking after their garden and their needs. Then if they are still unsure, they can always rely on our outrageous guarantee (see previous blog).

The result of all this is, that if you have an issue that relates to garden irrigation or lighting then we can solve it for you. Whether that is the irrigation of a single window box, a courtyard garden or a country estate. Whether you need a tap-based system, a tank and pump or a rainwater harvesting system. Whether you need a simple lighting layout to enable you to dine outside, a layered lighting system to provide different effects for different occasions or a complex, computer controlled, colour-change lighting system. Waterwell will give you straightforward, honest advice and will make the best use of your budget.

On top of that, because we have been around in the industry for a number of years, we are a useful resource for our clients. We have a pretty good idea who is hot and who is not. If you need a garden designer, a landscaper, someone to design your borders, a maintenance company, a garden furniture supplier, anything! then we can help you choose the right person for you needs.

Click on the start arrow in the control bar below and have a look at this video of an example of our work. Then, contact us if we can help you in any way; our telephone number 020 8742 8855 and our email is info@waterwell.co.uk

Next time, I will outline garden irrigation in a bit more detail. Until then...

Outrageous guarantee!!

Hello again,

Just thought I'd let you know, at Waterwell we have introduced the most outrageous guarantee for our irrigation systems. We recognise that the economy is tight at the moment and that most people have sensibly got a close eye on their budgets and their costs. Also, people need to be sure that when they make an investment in their property that they are getting value for money and the support of a well run company.

With that in mind, we wanted to make an offer that our potential clients couldn't refuse. Because we are certain of our ability to install an irrigation system better that any other company and because we are certain that they will be delighted with it and the effect that it has on their gardens, we are happy to offer...

The Waterwell, 100%, Money Back Guarantee

If, once an irrigation system has been installed, the client is unhappy with it in any way then they should call us within 30 days. Then, if we can cannot solve the issue we will come and remove it and refund 100% of the money - no quibbles, no hassles, no embarrassment - this is a genuine, total-confidence, no-risk guarantee.

Why are we doing this? Well, because we have led the garden irrigation and lighting market for 20 years and we have over 600 clients with maintenance contracts we are pretty certain that we are going to make our customers happy; their gardens will thrive, their new plants will get off to the best start possible and their lawns will be lush and green. We know how many of our customers are happy with our service and we want everyone else to be too.

Check us out at http://www.waterwell.co.uk/

Until next time...

Weird Sheep

Hello again,

I spotted and managed to take a shot of an unusual breed of sheep. The rare, shy and solitary Comedy sheep (Ovis adveho) was in a field in Devon. Keep your eyes peeled, there may be more of them.

Until next time...

Micro gardens

Hello again,

Just a quick example of micro-gardens at their best - one deliberate, one accidental.

The first image shows what can be done in a tiny space if the determination is there. On a street corner, getting hardly any sun, you have a simple bench, raised containers and the space surrounded by a railing. As a garden, it's not perfect by any means but I love it. It shows a will and a commitment to have a garden that not many would bother with. Well done.

Secondly, the accidental garden. Three chimney stacks; two containing the common Buddleia (which seems to find its way into every nook and cranny as a "pioneer" plant) and, more impressively, another containing ferns.

I know some people will say that the plants will damage the brickwork blah, blah, blah but do you know, I simply don't care. It might be permanent, it might be temporary but it is a great little habitat while it lasts.

I love these horticultural curiosities and discovering them by chance is fantastic. If you know of, or see any more of them then please take a photo and email them to me at simon@waterwell.co.uk

Until next time...

Flying Ant Day

Hello again,

Last Thursday was "Flying Ant Day". I don't know if this really does only happen once a year but it certainly seems to be the case. On a warm, humid evening the little critters come piling out of their nest and swarm into the sky, presumably hoping for a better life, more choices and a home of their own.

This year we had the biggest swarm of the little winged fellas I have ever seen. Next to a low wall in my front garden, adjacent to the footpath we had a mass exodus of Bigglesed insects. Certainly hundreds but more likely thousands of them fled their nest and wafted up into the sky, or at least that was the intention. They were everywhere; in the sky, on th footpath, all over my car, all over me (when I took the photo), everywhere.

I guess the mortality rate for a flying ant is high; it being their maiden flight and with no maps or satnav, where would you go? what would you be looking for?. I also imagine it is an annual feast for the insect eating birds like Blackbirds and Robins who must sit around just waiting for dinner to be served.

It must work though, a few of the brave little beasties must make it to their chosen destination because it persists and every year we still have a Flying Ant Day. Bravo them...

Until next time...

Drag [on] Boat Racing

Hello again,

We took part in the Kingston Charity Dragon Boat Challenge yesterday. We were raising money for Jeevika, a charity aim is "To work towards an India without absolute poverty where all people have the opportunity to live with dignity free from hunger, deprivation and marginalisation. See http://www.jeevika.org.uk/

The reality is though, that 16 men dressed up in saris and long black wigs, hence the drag...on and learnt to paddle the boats. You could say it was a liberating experience as some of the guys enjoyed the dressing up much more than what could be considered to "the norm" - no names, but I think you know who you are.

Each team (and there were 34 teams in total) had three heats culminating with a final for the fastest 6 boats. Our first heat was a disaster, we were on a very steep learning curve of paddling skills, timing & co-ordination. Our time was, I think, the 30th out of 34.

After a team meeting and some "dry land" paddling practice, we had our second heat and "bingo" it all came together. We thrashed the other two boats and put in the third fastest time of the day.

Buoyed (excuse the pun) by our success we looked forward to our third and final heat only to find that complacency and cockiness had got amongst us. We did okay, but everyone felt a bit down as we didn't improve our time significantly.

After this we had a long, nail biting wait to see if we would make it to the final. Our possible spot in the final was under huge pressure as all the other teams improved their times. Eventually though, we were placed in the final.

What was surprising, was that as the day went on, how competitiveness took a grip of each member of the team. At the outset there were probably six team members who had turned up with the intention of trying to win, another six who were would try their best and the final six who would consider themselves not to be that competitive. By the time of the final, we were all "in the zone" doing warm up exercises, team building chants, practising etc. We had become a squad of focused, cross dressing, paddling demons with grit, determination and a will to win.

The six fastest boats lined up across the Thames waiting for the starter to release everyone.

Tension was high with some spirited sledging (mainly from our boat) upping the anti. A strong current and an even stronger wind was making the task of getting six boats to line up very difficult with each boat continually having to back up. Sadly however, whilst we were backing our boat up, the starter let everyone go. So by the time we got ourselves paddling forward we had lost almost two boat lengths. We gave it our all and began to catch the other boats but it was too much water to make up in too short a race.

We came a creditable 6th out of 34 overall, which at the beginning of the day, having never paddled before, we would have been delighted with. However, we all felt like it was an opportunity that got away, due to a stroke of bad luck.

Never mind, there is always next year.

Until next time...

Deer stalker?

Hello again,

Strange things are afoot in Richmond Park. It has become the training ground for an elite herd of undercover deer.

As you can see, they are in the process of being taught the fine art of camoflage, how to blend in with the undergrowth and not be seen. You can see from this picture one of the trainees with his bracken headset disguise. Sadly, this trainee failed the course partly because his disguise is rubbish and partly becasue he stood beside the road letting me take a photo of him. However, the eleven others behind him, passed the course with flying colours.

So watch out next time you are there!

Until next time...

Grafitti is art - do you get it?

Hello again,

Have a look at this fantastic grafitti. Menacing, witty and slightly sinister - art at its challenging best.

Enjoy

Until later...

More fixies

Me again,

I thought I'd add another shot of the beautiful bikes for your interest.

Until later...

How cool are fixies?

Hello again,

Today I came across this great shop in East London selling custom & bespoke fixies, just off Brick Lane - fantastic or what? They stand up as pieces of art in their own right

Until next time...

Fiat 500s are ace!

Hello again,

You might know but my business is a garden irrigation & garden lighting installation company. We design, install and maintain watering and light systems in private gardens throughout London and the South of England.

The reason that I mention this is that we have recently purchased a new vehicle for the Estimators to visit the prospective clients in. Previously, we had van versions of small cars but this time we have got a Fiat 500. We got a black one, to fit in with our "look" and we have signwritten it, tickertape style, in reflective writing. This means that when it is driven at night the signwriting looks like it is glowing or that it is lit - clever eh?

I have to say the Fiat is brilliant, it is fun, cheeky, easy to drive, simple to park, easy on the eye and most of all it makes total strangers smile. There seems to be a real affection for the Fiat 500 that partly stems back to the original. Fiat seem to have produced a new modern car that respects its past without slavishly trying to replicate it. Most of all though, they have managed to recreate the character of the original and that is their real success.

Until later

Enjoy the summer - go mad in your garden

Hello again,

It is the middle of summer, so get outside and enjoy your garden.

Spruce up your garden by cutting the grass and doing a bit of weeding. Now is the perfect time to trim your box plants and add a bit of seasonal colour to the garden by planting some summer bedding. Then to make sure it all thrives, make sure your garden watering system is working efficiently, adjust the timing for high summer and sit back and watch it grow.

If you still have some energy then fill your fridge with easy food, buy some beers, wine and soft drinks and then invite your friends, family or work colleagues around for lunch or dinner in the garden.

Don't wait, get on with it...

Until next time

Fowl language seems to be the order of the day

Hello again

It seems that we are all reverting to nature, discarding the excesses of the last decade or two, moving away from conspicuous consumption towards a more natural, considerate way of life. Recycling, buying cars with smaller engines, using farmers' markets, buying local, buying seasonal, growing your own fruit & veg and now, chickens.

It seems that having your own micro, egg production facility at the bottom of the garden is the must have accessory of the middle classes. It's easy to scoff though, but actually, having chickens and producing your own eggs is great fun, tasty and provides a good message to children - apparently eggs don't come from Sainsbury's, they come from chickens!!

My mother is an old hand at keeping chickens. She has lots of breeds: Frizzles, Polish, Light Sussex, Seabright & Black Rock amongst others. Some are more relable egg layers and some are more ornament but collectively they are rather charming. My daughters love feeding them, giving them some water and most of all, collecting the eggs. This is a joy to the children and to adults alike. There is nothing quite like opening the coup and finding four or five fresh eggs - one never tires of this.

Try it, I am going to.

Unitl next time

Mo[w]ped - geddit?

Blair Witch or what?

Hello again,

When I was on the Black Isle recently I happened across a strange thing in a small woodland at the side of a road. In the wood it seemed that every twig & branch of every tree had fragments of clothing attached to it. Somewhat freaked out by the slightly scary sight I knew I had to satisfy my curiosity and find out what it was all about.

It turns out that it is called the Clootie Well and the use of clothing is based around a pagan tradition that dates back to AD620. The Clootie Well is basically a healing place used by pilgrims to heal the sick.

The tradition involves circling the well three times at sunrise before splashing some of its water on the ground before making a prayer. They would then tie a "cloot" or piece of clothing (that had been in contact with the sick person) to a nearby tree. The theory is that as the cloth rotted away, the illness would leave the sick person.

Although it looks quite alarming, it is actually rather touching.

Unitl next time...

Spring really has sprung

Hello again

In my view, there is no better time of year than the first flush of spring. Plants and gardens are bursting with life, the birds are busy nesting, the sun is warm, the air is cool and everyone feels a little more optimistic.

We have been through a long, cold winter; both meteorologically and economically and finally we can see the first signs of hope and positivity. Winter clothes are put away, the evenings are lighter and the barbecue can be dragged out of the shed and set up for the coming months. I run a garden irrigation and garden lighting business and we are finally into the spring and are busy visiting and maintaining around 550 gardens that have a watering system and/or garden lights.

Individually, we might not be able to do much about the recession (apparently, it's a global issue that was made in the USA!) but collectively we can make our worlds a better place. It's the little things that everyone can do that can make the biggest difference. It's about creating and reinforcing communities. Imagine the difference there would be if everyone said good morning to each other, smiled at each other a bit more, looked out for their neighbours, picked up a bit of litter, planted a tree in their front garden. These are all things that we can do that will improve our lives and the lives of the people that live around us. We all get bogged down in the day-to-day "busyness" of life but all we can do is try to make an extra effort.

Planting a tree in ones front garden (if you have one) is a good example of a minor effort producing a huge reward over many years. A single tree in a front garden will improve the look of your house, prevent wall-to-wall paving of front gardens, soften the architecture, provide shelter for birds, convert CO2 to oxygen and reduce particulate pollution. A tree in every front garden in a road will completely change the atmosphere from being a street to being an avenue or boulevard, provide shade from the harshest sun, slow the windspeed and take the visual emphasis away from hard surfaces to a softer, more natural feel. It's no coincidence that the most desirable streets are those that are lined with trees.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to preach at anyone, I just think the recession has changed the rules for ever. It is no longer acceptable for us to behave in the way we have for the last decade or so; consumerism, conspicuous consumption, greed and turning a blind eye to the environment is unsustainable. It is apparent that we will all have to change our behaviour over the coming years. Changing the global environment is probably best achieved via the ballot box but your your local environment can be positively influenced you, now. So, don't wait for everyone else, do something.

Until later

Welcome to the C21st confessional

Hello again,

This is another observation about rubbish and hopefully not a rubbish observation.

It seems to me that the recycle box has now become a C21st confessional or a window on the soul. You can now tell so much about a person by their recycling, I don't mean rummaging through people's recycle bins - just what you can see as you walk on by.

You can tell their politics from their newspapers. You can see their interests and aspirations by their magazine choices. You can assess how afluent they might be by seeing which supermarket they shop in. Do they buy "Basics" value offering, the standard range or the premium "Taste the Difference" range. You can see how many ready meals they buy. You can see what they like to drink, whether its wine, beer or a drop of the hard stuff. You can see how much they drink and whether it is good quality or not. You can see if they are watching their weight with healthy choices and diet drinks.

Self conciousness will soon take hold and Soon people will start to hide the things that they might be embarrassed about.

What next?, maybe the government or local council will begin inspections of your recycle bins and then lecture you on how they believe you should be living your life.

It's probably not as far fetched as you might think.

Until next time

Recycling in the "community"

Hello again

The issue of recycling is something that has occupied my mind of late.

In principal, most people agree that recycling is a good thing. It is certainly not as good as minimisation ie use less packaging in the first place but, as a response to consumerism it is ok. It is how recycling is implemented that has got everyone's goat.

Firstly, it is the Local Councils that are charged (by the government) with having to recycle; they must meet their targets to reduce landfill. To our credit, there is a willing and enthusiastic public out there who are happy to assist for the greater good, but it is not the legal duty for the public to recycle (as far as I know). That being the case the Councils need to adopt an inclusive, helpful and co-operative approach to recycling and not become bullies. Rather than use a carrot, the Councils have adopted a stick approach. The whole recycling thing has rapidly evolved from being the the Councils responsibility, to being our responsibility, to us being policed by the Council.

When I say responsibility I want to be clear that I mean legal responsibility and not the moral imperitive, I accept it is everyone's moral responsibility to recycle.

It has now got to the point where the public are punished if the binmen ajudge that someone might have broken the rules. Since when did the binmen become the arbiters of such matters? This is wrong, if the Government and the Councils want recycling to be a success then they should/must reverse this trend and start working with the electorate or they will find that the electorate won't want to work with them.

I shall get off my soapbox now.

Until next time

Sledging is fun

Hello again,

A really short blog today. We have just come back from a weeks holiday in Scotland and a fine time was had by all. When we arrived it was snowy and -8 degrees (excellent for sledging). Two days later it was +12 degrees and we were on the beach in shirt sleeves - excellent.

Will blog again next week

Until then...

It's snow joke!

Hello again,

You might have noticed on the news this week, that we have had some snow in London & the South East. Actually it was a decent snowfall, some 200mm. Obviously, everything ground to a halt; cars, trains, buses, schools etc. but that is to be expected. It was even the case that we couldn't do any work with the business either - you try installing irrigation & lighting in gardens covered in snow! Anyway it resulted in a day off for pretty much everyone and a fine time was had by all.

Two points to make:

Firstly, see the image of Brian the Badger. He has moved from the boot of my car to the porch of my house. This is real progress, a definite step forward. For now Brian is Brian the guard badger, protecting the house from undesirables. He did however get a bit covered in snow, even with the protection of the porch. I think he looks rather magnificent there but I still have plans for him. I will faithfully report any devleopments on the Brian front, as and when they occur

Secondly, snow men are becoming so sophisticated. The winner this week was the snow dalek that was made in Kingston, a faithful reproduction of Dr Who's foe. Congratulations to the people who made it

Until later

Lift the spirit

Hello again,

These are uncertain times that none of us has experienced before. Recessional gloom, the economy seemingly in meltdown, the footsie crashing, the pound plummeting and unemployment rising at an alarming rate. We are all fed a daily diet of this information by the self-satisfied "I'm still going to get my pay cheque no matter how bad the economy is" BBC news department. They revel in the misery, amplifying it to create bigger and bigger headlines and thereby creating a self-fullfilling prophesy.

I am not denying that things are bad; I run two small businesses, a garden irrigation & lighting contracting business and a wholesale business and trading conditions for both have never been tougher. Money in the economy is scarce, protecting jobs is getting harder, winning work is more testing and getting payment more challenging. With all this gloom though, whether it is real or magnified by the press, it is hard not to be dragged down and to only see the negatives in life.

This is where public art has an important part to play in life. Art lifts the spirit, it takes you away from the "now", it refreshes the soul and lightens the mood. It won't take the problems away but it might just divert your attention for long enough to believe that this recession will actually end at some point, things will eventually improve and the BBC will eventually find something else to gloat about.

See the photo? This beautiful sculpture called Horse and Rider is by Dame Elizabeth Frink (1930-1993) and stands majestically at the corner of Dover Street and Picadilly, outside a coffee chain. Happening upon such a sculpture unexpectedly is a joy and is a credit to whomever commissioned it. Public art doesn't usually get much attention, except for the spare plinth in Trafalgar Square, but it does contribute to and enrich our lives. Like good architecture, public art affects us coniously and subconciously and taking a moment to admire a work can help us through these trying times.

Sadly though, as a footnote, when ordering my coffee I remarked to the member of staff about how lucky they were to be able to see the sculpture every day. The "Trainee Barista" stunned me with his mumbled reply "what sculpture?" before shoving my overpriced, weak Americano in a paper cup at me . I was lost for words and that doesn't happen very often.

Until later

A Badger's Tale (Tail)

Hello again.

Long time, no blog... My New Years res is to blog more consistently.

For some time now I have been keen on the idea of adorning the interior of my house with a stuffed Badger. I had the idea that I would like to cut one in half (cross ways), mount it's front end on one side of a wall and it's back end on the other. To make it a bit more surreal, I intended to attach said Badger about 2m above ground level.

I thought this was a great idea, sadly my wife (and daughters) weren't in agreement. I was surprised by the strong resistance I met when I mooted the idea and even though I badgered (sorry for the pun) her for some time, she did not bend. To her, it was a black and white issue - no dead animals in the house, full stop.

Anyway, over a couple of months, I kept my eyes open for a suitable bit of taxidermy. I had a hope that presenting my wife with a "cute" stuffed Badger would soften her resistance to the idea. However, I didn't find anything and the idea began to drift to the back of my mind.

However, two weeks before Christmas, a large box was delivered to my office from one of our suppliers in Birmingham. We get quite a lot of deliveries of garden irrigation and garden lighting product and the box raised no eyebrows until I opened it. Inside was a stuffed Badger, an old, dusty Badger mounted on a board. Clearly the old fellow had seen better days, his ear has been chewed, his underside is bald and he has a very "interesting" aroma. However, none of this mattered to me, it was a Badger and it gave me the opportunity to carry out my plan.

I took Brian, as he has been named, home that evening in my car. However, before I left I thought I might give him a bit of a spruce up and and tried vacuuming his fur. Sadly the vacuum sucked the fur out of one of Brian's back legs leaving it looking like a plucked turkey, so I stopped and decided to take him as he was.

Upon entering the house, I was met by my daughters; Dolly (5) burst into tears, Daisy (7) screeched "yeuucggkk". At that point I started to think that I might struggle to get my way on this one. Upon entering the kitchen, I held Brian up, trying to show off his best side (if he had one) and to make him look as cute as possible. I failed and my wife looked sternly at me before stating firmly "do you really need me to comment?". Knowing the taste of defeat, I responded with "shall I put him back in the car then?"

So since then, that is where Brian has been residing, in the back of my car. He has spent Christmas & New Year in the boot of my car like an aged dog, frozen in time. It hasn't been a problem until yesterday;, my sense of smell had been ineffective (due to a winter cold) and I was happily co-existing with Brian. However, on my journey home last night, my olfactory abilities returned and Brian's "individual" aroma nearly got the better of me. So much so that I had to turn the heater off in the car and open the window.

So, what now for Brian? Should he stay or should he go? As the Pulp Fiction quote goes "he's got personality and personality goes a long way". The problem is, the type of personality that Brian has is not that desirable. However, I have new plans for Brian, watch this space and find out.

Until later.